Pakistan police arrest six men over murder of Sikh politician

Islamabad, April 26 (IANS) Pakistani police have arrested six men allegedly paid to kill a prominent Sikh politician in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the media reported on Tuesday.

According to police, the assassination of Minority Affairs Minister Sardar Soran Singh last Friday in Buner district was arranged by rival Sikh politician Baldev Kumar, Efe news reported.

Baldev Kumar had sought a seat with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party but had been passed over for Soran Singh which led to the murder, said Deputy Inspector General Azad Khan on Monday.

The Pakistani Taliban had falsely claimed responsibility for the murder, said the police.

The murderers were caught when officers received a tip-off that traced the shooting to one of the suspects, who confessed to the murder and gave up his accomplices during interrogation, The Nation reported.

Soran Singh's death has shocked the public, with PTI tweeting: "Sardar Soran Singh; You will always be remembered for your unrelenting spirit".

The party's chairman Imran Khan called for shops to be closed in honour of Soran Singh, who had advocated for the rights of the Sikh minority group in the Muslim majority nation.